Electric railway



June 9, 1925.

J.,B. STRAUSS ELECTRIC RAILWAY Original Filed July 31, 191.5 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 WW I June 9, 1925 4! a. STRAUSS ELECTRIC RAILWAY Original Filed July 31,

1915 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Jase 0h Z5. 5 drz ass:

June 9, 1925.-

- J. B. STRAUSS ELECTRIC RAILWAY Original Filed July 31, 1915 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 Jfine 9, 1925.

J. B. STRAUSS ELECTRIC RAILWAY Original Filed July 31, 1915 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 W 7' 051?,0/7 Ziirzzass @Lvrm S 4% i: 1:: 1 T -U 1. 1E m L, v E Q xws Q41 3 Patented June 9, 1925.

JOSEPH B. STRAUSS,

i p p; TENT i 01" cmczaiao, ammo-Isa EI'JEQT'E'IG RAILWAY.

Be it known th'zft IpJcsm-rn B: S \Uss, a citizen of the Unitcd sijuciesg lcsid iu g at Chicago, in thc count-inf Cook and Static (Grit-i1; is simply circuit midi a-ici success eiy broug'iit into cugzigei'ueufi therewith on i'y' if'c r the short spaces of time oevpim1 5by the pussug e oithe cm and While currnt 1"1icuip;

cxcitcr Hint successively connect the su acecc'u is a sectional view taken on li-nc in i sectional viw taken on line line 0-8 of Fig,

is 'a plan View 0% one -fcini of the rectifier tube. Contained within each rectifier tube is a quantity of mercury 11. Projecting into each tube are three electrodes 12. 13 and 14. These electrodes are made of any suitable mate-rial, such as graphite, and are properly insulated from the tube by the insulating bushings 15, the electrodes 12, 13 and 14 being the anodes. Each tube is also providedwith two cathode electrodes 16 and 17 which are placed below the surface of the mercury. There is also a starting anode electrodelS. The rectifier tubes are preferably provided with an air connection 19 provided with a valve 20 so that the air can be easily exhausted therefrom. I

Referring now to Fig. 5, which shows a diagram of circuits associated with the rectifier tubes, the electrode 12 of each rectifier tube is connected by a conductor 21 wit-h a conductor 22 leading to the main feeder cable 5. The conductor 21 is also connected by conductor 23 with one of the rails It will be noted that by means of the conductors 22 and 23 the feed conductor 5 is grounded to the rail 2. The electrode 13 is connected by a conductor 24 with the feeder cable 6. The electrode 17 is also connected with conductor 24 by conductor 25. The electrode 14 is connected by conductor 26 with the conductor 27 which leads to the exciter. contact 4, said conductor 27 also leading to the exciter resistance 28, said exciter resistance being connected by conductor 29 with electrode 18. The electrode 16 is connected by conductor 30 with the feed contact 3. It will be understood that each of the rectifier tubes is connected in the same way, the similar parts in each one being given the same reference characters. The mercury rectifier tubes are mounted upon slate panels 31, the slate panels and mercury tube rectifiers being enclosed in the tube boxes 8. The main feeder conductors 5 and 6 run back to the source of electric supply, which in thepresent instance is shown as an alternating current generator 5*, the circuit of which contains the coil 5 of a transformer. The coil 5 of said transformer is connected with the feeder conductors 5 and 6. It will be noted that the feeder conductor5 is grounded through the rail 2 at each rectifier tube.

Referring now to the circuits on the car illustrated in Fig. 4, each car is provided with twocontact devices which move along with the car. These contact devices are preferably in the shape of bars, one of them the feed'bar 32 engaging the feed contacts 3 and the other the exciter bar 33 engaging the exciter contacts 4, the bars being of such length that as the car moves along they engage the forward feeder and exciter contacts before leaving the rear contacts. A conductor 34 leads from the feed bar 32 to the motor 35, which is a direct current motor, there being in the connection a circuit breaker 36 and any suitable motor controller 37 operated by handle 80. A conductor 38 leads from the other terminal of the motor and connects with the main re-acta-nce coils 39 and 40. A conductor 41 connects the coil 39 through the wheel 42 with the rail. 2, thereby grounding said conductor. A conductor 43 connects the coil with the exciter bar 33. The. lamps 44 on the car are connected in a circuit between the conduc-- tors 34 and 38. There is also located on the car an exciter battery 45, which is connected by a conductor 46 with conductor 43, and by a conductor 47 with lc: d bar 32. This circuit is controlled by the excitcr switch 48. When it is desired to use a direct current instead of an alternating current, the circuit arrangement shown in Figs.

10 and 11 may be used. In this arrangement the main feed wire 50 (see Fig. 11) is provided with a direct current in any desired manner, as by generator 50 having a grounded terminal 50, and is connected by a conductor 51. with an electrode 52 associated with the mercury tube 53. This mercury tube is also provided with an electrode 54, which is connected by a conductor 55 with the eXciter contact 4. The mercury tube 53 is also provided with an electrode 56 which is connected by a conductor 57 with the feed contact 3. This mercury lube is p1 ovided with a fourth electrode 58, which is connected by a conductor 59 with the ground through a spark gap 60. One of the rails of the track is grounded, as shown at 61.

Referring now to Fig. 10, which shows the circuits on the ca there is provided on the car a source of electric supply such as the storage battery 62. This storage bat tery is connected in circuit with the primary coil 63 of a suitable induction coil. The circuit is controlled by the exciter switch-62. This circuit is provided with a suitable circuit breaking device, such for example, as the spring arm 64 engaging the contact 65and adapted to be moved away from said contact by the core 66 of the induction coil when the current passes through coil 63. The breaking of the circuit stops the current; and the part 64 then moves back into contact with the part 65, and thecircuit is again completed. thus causing a rapid make and break of the cir cuit. A secondary coil 67 is associated with the primary coil 63 and as the current is made and broken, an induced current of high potential is setup in the coil 67. One terminal'of the coil 67 is connected by conductors 68 and 69 with the feed bar 32. This circuit preferably contains the lamps Ill) 70. The other terminal of the coil 67 1s connected by conductor 71with the switch and when it is on contacts and T7, the

contact75 or t connect-ion is made to the front end 83 the exciter bar 33 through the conductor 78.

When the contact arm is on the contact 76 a connection is-made tothe central part of the excite'r bar 33 by conductorTS). The front end oi the exciter bar is insulated from the main portion thereof, so thati'h'e current from the secondary 6'? oii'thc induc .tion coil is only momentarily inserted, that is, is only in circuit for a short length of time, the length oi time the part 33 i 1 contact with the excite; contact 4. hen the car is running, the arm is either on "'11- Ai-Jthe other end oi the bar 33 is a section 33, also insulated from the central portion 33,i09l';6 usedwlmn the car is running in the opposite direction. This section is connected with the other motor and cont-roller at the, other end of car, it being understood that the car has two motors and controllers; one at each end when the car is to be run in either direction along the track. If now the car should stop with the main portion. of the exciter bar in contact with. the exciter contact 4, the device could notbe started up byh avinp; the lever 72 engage contact 75 or 77 It, however, the lever is moved to engage contact 7 6, then the circuit is completed through the central part of the contact ba-r and the carcan be started. The source of electric supply 62 on the car need only beused in first starting; the car, as current atter'the car is moving can be taken from the main source of current supply. Under these conditions the eXciter switch 62" is moved out of contact with contact 62", and in contact with contact 62 conn'ected with conductor 62, groundedat 62, and the switclr65 is moved to disconnect it from the contact 65" and connect it with contact 65 and conductor 65 The contact arm 72 isconnec'ted with the handle ofthe controller so as to move therewith. The motor 81 on the car is connected with the controller 37 and by conductor 82' withv condiictor (39.. An overload circuit breaker S2 is platced in circuit with the motor. Said motor is connected through the field coils S3 and conductor Setwith the wheel 4-2, and thence with the rail 1/ and the ground. hi'viewo'tt-he length of the feeder bar and exciter bar, some means is provided for insuring their contact with the contacts along theroadway as the car is passing aroundcurves; As herein shown, each bar is provided at the center with-a take-up joint arranged so as to permit the bars to lengthen and shorten as the car passes around curves. This con- This arm co-operates with the struotion is shown in Figs. 3, 8 andf13'. In the construction shown, these bars are made up ofthree sections, a central section and two endsections. The cent "a l section of each bar ls-conne-cted'to a laterally sliding supporting; piece 91'connected with'the car body, the connection between the piece 90 and the su wort-in iec'e= 91 bein made to to by the slotted links beveled ends-on the other sections oi' tho The opposite ends of the piece 90 are bevcled aindthey overlap bar, there being preferably a dovetailed projection 93 on one part whichengages a.

dovetailed opening on the other so'as to pernnt the parts to slide along one, another but prevent their becoming disengaged.

The coilspring's 9% are located between the parts 91 and the. bars which tend normally to press them downward against the con tacts 3 and 4t but leaves them free to move up and down as varying conditions alongy the roadiwa ref uire the slots-in the; links 9-2 permittingthis up and down. movement.

The supporting pieces-91 are connected with the sliding cross-piece 9'5 which is slidal'ily connected with the car body. Int-heconstruction shown, this cross-piece 1scon nected by a rod or bolt- 96 with. a support 97 attached to the car body. Thejcrosspiece 95 is provided with a: slotSS through which ihebolt 96 passes so'that the croscpiece is free to slide'baclz' andtorth. The

support a 97 is connected by meansotbrackets Itw1ll thus be 99 with the body oi the car; seen that there isza. laterally inoi ablc-"sup porting piece for these bars-by nreansot is made by means of the slotted links 101 which connect the: bars with the support or hanger 1'02,.said support or hanger being connect-ed to the shifting lever at separated points -by the pivots 103. The shifting lever ispivotally 'coinrected between its ends to the car truck' 104-, this connectioirbeing made by the pivot 105. The car truck is" provided with aslotltli through which the shifting lever passes (see Fig. 14-), this slot beinggiof su'fiicient size topernii't the proper movement of this shitting lever. It will be noted that the pivotal connection between. the shiftin lever an'd'th'e truck, made by the pivot 10:"), is at a. distance from the main pivot 112, which connects the truckwith the body, thereby insurlng the proper inovement' of the-shifting lever as the car moves around 1 curves. The shitting lever 100 is pivo-tally connected at one'end to the car body bymeans of the pivot 106, which is connected with a. hracltet 111 attached to the war body. It will thus be seen that this connection permits the hereto move with relation to the body as the trucks pass around curves. There are two trucks, one at each end of the car, as is usual in such cases. The laterally movable support 95 is connected at each side with the trucks by the pivoted links 107, saidlinks beingpivoted at one end to the laterally movable sup port by the pivots 108 and at the other end to the truck by the pivots 109. It will be seen, that by means of this arrangement the bars automatically adjust themselves when' going around curves, and are kept in contact with the contacts 3 and 4.

I have shown diagrannnatically in Fig. 12 the position of the parts when the car is going around a curve. The contacts 3 and 4 may be placed closely together at the curves and should be located so as to make proper contact with the bars.

In F I have shown an arrangement of circuits for an alternating current where the exciter switch need only be closed to start the car the first time and can then remain open. tor 34. is connected with the contact 34-" of the switch 37 and is also connected with exciter bar 33, there being a resistance 34 in said circuit. With this construction the exciter circuit passes around the motor instead of through it. 7

I have described in detail a particular construction embodying my invention, but it is of course evident that the parts may be varied in many particulars without departing from the spirit of the invention, and I therefore do not limit myself to the particular construction shown.

The use and operation of my invention are as follows:

If the car is at rest on the track the feed bar and exciter bar will be in contact with the feed contact and exciter contact. In order to start the car the motorman closes the exciter switch 48 on the car (see Fig. 4). This connects the exciter battery 45 in-circuit, the circuit beingtraced as follows: From the battery. 45 through conductors 46 and 43 to exciter bar 33, thence through exciter contact 4, thence by conductor 27 to exciter resistance 23, thence by conductor '29 to electrode 18, thence to electrode 16 and through conductor to feed contact 3, thence to feed bar 32 and thence by conductor 47 back to the battery." There is a small bridge of mercury between the electrodes 16 and 1S and this mercury is evaporated by the current from the battery following which an are results which jumps to one or the other of the main anode electrodes 12 or 13, and alternates between these electrodes during the regular operation. thus automatically connecting up the circuit with the feed conductors 5 and 6. The motorman proceeds to operate the motor by the controller 37. The circuits are then traced as follows. The current in the feed conductors being an In this construction a condnc alternating current, the circuit will be traced at the instant it is positive in the main conductor 6 (see Fig. 5). At this instant the electrode 13 is then positive and the arc is free to How between the electrode 13 and the electrode 16, the current then passing from the feeder conductor 6 through conductor 24 to electrode 13 thence to electrode 16, thence through conductor 30 to feed contact 3 thence through feed bar 32 to conductor 34, thence through motor and conductor 38, thence through the main re artance coil 39, thereby charging it, and while the value of the alternating current wave is decreasing,reversing and increasing the reactance coil discharges, thus maintaining the arc until the voltage reaches the value required to maintain the current. against the counter electromotive force of the load and reducing the fluctuations in the direct current. The current flows from the reactance coil 39 through conductor 41 to the wheel 42, and thence to rail 2, and thence by conductors 23 to 22 to feed conductor 5. At the end of the first half of the cycle of the alternating current in the feed conductor when the voltage drops to zero, the inductance of the main reactance coil 39 maintains the current and a local circuit is formed through electrodes 12 and 16 and reactance coil which maintains the arc until the voltage in feeder conductor 5 has risen to a value which will maintain the arc.

This local circuit is as follows: From main reactance coil 39 through conductor 41 to wheel 42, thence to rail 2. thence by conductors 23 and 21 to electrode 12, thence to electrode 16, thence by conductor 30 to feed contact 3, thence to feed bar 32 and then-re by conductors 34 and 38 to main reactanz e coil 39.

In the next half cycle of the alternating current the feeder conductor 5 at the point where conductor 22 connects therewith, becomes positive, the electrode 12 is then positive and the arc is free to flow between the electrodes 12 and 16. The circuit is then traced as follows: From feed conductor 5 through conductors 22 and 21, to electrode 12, thence to electrode 16, thence through conductor 30 to feed contact'3, thence to feed bar 32, thence through conductor 34 to motor 35, thence through conductor 38 to main rcactance coil 40, thence through conductor 3 to exciter bar 33, thence to exciter contact 4, and thence by conductor 26 to electrode 14 and thence to electrode 17 and thence by conductor 24 to feeder conductor 6, The

local circnit due to the reactance coil as 43 to exciter bar 33, thence to exciter conii U tact 4: thence through contlhcthr '26 to electrode 1 thence to electrode 17, thence through conductors???) and 2 k to electrode tery, the exciter switch 48 may opened and does not need to be again closeth until the current through theinotor on-the car is cut off or fails for some reason; After the starting of th e first i'ectifife r tuhe while the. current is passing through the motor it will be seen that the feed bar 32' anclthe exciter bar 33' are 'al'ivej'and when they reach the next contactsaheacl; being stlll ln engagement with the adjacent con tactsfat the rear, current/is taken from" sai clbars to start therectifier tube "associatecl with the contacts ahead. The startiiig'oifexciter circuit inthatcase will'then he tracecl as tfollowsf Froni exciter bar 33' to contact 4,'thence by conductor 27 to i'esistance'2'8; thence by conductor 29' to electrode-18, thence to'lectrocle 16', thence b'y coiicluctor t :feecl contact 3, theiice to feed har- 32', thence by conductors and; 138 to coil and thence by con'dl'ictor l3to exciterbar 33. The feed bars and exciter; bars on the car are longer than the di'staiice along "the track between the adjacentcontacts, so

that they f will be'in lcontactfwith the lre a r coiitacts a: sufficient length of tune to permit the rectifier at the forward contact to'. he

pthprly started. hen the niotor is stoppetl 'anclit is again desired to start up the can theexciter switch is'a'gainclosetl. If" desired, the circuits may 'be arranged so that the exciter switchfneed, only hecl'osed to start the carthe'firstjtinie' mitt-em then remain open even whenitlie inotorfis stopped. The eireni-rs m use construction are shown in Fig. 15 whereinthere-is a [conductor 34. connected with a contact 34" associated with the. switch 3? aiid also cnii'ected with the excitei'" bar 33, there heing' a resistance Shin said circuit. lylieirtheswit'chB'Wis in'ove'cl to break the circ'nitthrough the-rho tor it engages flcontac t 34 aiiclhonipletes the circuit throii'gli theco-n'cluctor serene resistance 34, and the 'exciterciicuit is then transferred and instead of passing through the motor, passes through resistance 3& and conductor 3 P hack to the eiiciter bar, the circuit being othe'rwiseas ah o ve set out,

It will be seen thathy means ofjth is con-- structionthe alternating current is changed 'to a tlir'ect "current ancl pass e cl' through a direct current 'inotoron the car, and that con-- nection is made between the motor and the source" of electric supply without the; aid of n1ovnigsW1tches or contacts except those on the car which engage the'feeder and ex citer'c'ontacts 3 and 4. As the car moves main f eecl conductors front theffeed conk tacts' and leaving these contacts at the rear otthe car (lea-ct and harmless. l

. In this systein the feed concluctors ai e colhpletely concealed and protecteclrancl thereare only a seriesot exposed contact points on-th'e street or right of Way, which contactsare dead and harmless exceptat the instant when the car is'passing over theh and yet there is a continuous current into the can from theeltern ating current feed condiictors; It will furtherhe seenthat the connections and tliscon-n ection between these contacts and the source of electric supplyis made without noxii ng switches and the like the current itself acting to malrethe (zonhec- 'tion through the n ercury vapor, the connecv tion iiis'tantly heing cut ottwhen the lfeed =bar inoves oh" the contact. It will further be; seen that this construction provides a cheap and efficient construction.reqiiiriiig very little care (ii-expense; for maintenance under-constant ancl' heavy servicesand that a pei'rtectly safe construction is provided. Thistlevice is particularly adapted for the use of alternating currents, hutiny invention may alsobe used in connection with direct currents. a

-I haveshownin Figs. 10 ancl'll the circuits whe n a' direct currentis used. Inzthis con's triiction'when it is clesiretl to startthe car the motorinan closes the exciter switch 62* so asto complete the circuit through the sourceofelectric supply 62 and the coil 68 as shown in Fig. 10,- The current then passes through-the coil63, energizing the core- 66, aiicl'ceusing it toattract the spring 6'4, thereby!breaking"the circuit. "lhecurrescue-1r ceaesf'a-n'cl: the spriii'g '64 moves back" aii'cl" coiiiplete's the v "circuit; this opera.- tionheing' repeatediwhile the switch 62 is closed; At each nfiak'elantl break otthe circuit a current of high potential induced in the coil This currentthen passes through conductor 71 and when the control.-

ler handle '80 is 'in'otiecl to start the motor, the switch 72 is also n'ovetll It the car is stoppetl so that the; central part 33 engages theeiqciter contact 4, the switch 72 'is inovetl to contactfifiand the curreiit then passes throughconductor 79 to exciter bar 33 end V thence to excitercontact l. If the car is so that the part 33 is in'contact with the conductor 84, and to conductors 69 and 68, back to coil 67. The passage of this current throughthe tube 53 from electrode 54 to electrode 58 breaks the mercury bridge, causing an arc to form. This produces mercury vapor in the tube and the arc immediately jumps between electrodes 52 and 56, thus connecting the motor 81 with the main circuit. This circuit is then traced as follows: F rom the generator to the main feed wire 50 (see Fig. 11), thence by conductor 51 to electrode 52, thence to electrode 56 and thence by conductor 57 to feed contact 3, thence to feed contact bar 32, thence by conductor 69 through circuit breaker 82* to conductor 82, controller 37 and motor 81, thence by conductor 84 to wheel 42 and rail 2, thence to the ground and thence back to the generator 50 through the grounded terminal 50*. hen the car is moving along, the exciting current can be taken from the main source of current supply by moving the switch into contact with contact 65 and the switch 62 into contact with contact 62. The current from the main line conductor50 is now passing through the feed bar and the motor, and the thing to be accomplished is to start up the mercury tube 53 just ahead of the car as soon as the part 33 strikes the next exciter contact 4. As soon as this is done, that is, as soon as the section 33 strikes the cxcitcr contact 1: ahead, the portion of the current then flowing through the generator 50, conductors 50 and 51 and mercury tube 53 now in operation, and contact 57 and feeder bar 32 passes from said feeder bar 32 through conductors (39 and 65 to switch 65, thence through coil 63, thence through switch 62 and conductor 66 to ground 62 and thence back to thegenerator. current is then induced in the coil 67 and passes through the mercury tube 53 ahead of the car so as to start it. said circuit being traced as hereinbefore described, it being understood that before the contact bars leave the contacts of any given mercury tube through which cur rent is passing to the motor, a part of that current may be directed through the induction coil so as to start the mercury tube ahead in operation, and then the current from the motor is taken through this men cury tube, because the contact bar 32 engages the feeder contact 3 connected with said mercury tube ahead before it leaves the feeder contact 3 connected with the mercury tube at the rear. When the contact bar leaves the contact 3 connected with the mercury tube at the rear, the current through said mercury tube stops and the contact at which the bar 32 has just left instantly becomes dead and inert, and this is done without any movable switches or parts between I tact bars on the ear adapted to successively engage said contacts as the car moves along the track, said contact bars adapted to engage the forward contact before leaving the rear contact, and means adapted to be successively brought into circuit with said exciter contacts for successively starting the operation of said rectifiers, a motor on the car adaptedto be successively connected with said feed contacts.

2. An electric railway system comprising a vtrack, a series of separated feed contacts extending along said track, a series of sepa rated exciter contacts also extending along said track, feed wires extending along said track, a seriesof mercury rectifiers at in tervals along said track, one for each feed contact, sa-i drectifiers electrically connected with said feed wires, each rectifier electri. cally connected with one feed contact and one exciter contact.

3. An electric railway'system comprising a track, itSQliGSIOf separated contacts extending along said traclgalternating current feed wires extending along said track, a series of rectifiers extending along sald track and connected with said feed wires, each rectifier connected with one of said contacts, a car, a motor on the car, means on the car for connecting said motor with said contact aud'rectifier;said-rectifier adapted to rectifr said alternating current so as to produce a direct current'through the motor on the car.

4t. An electric railway system comprising a track, a series of separated contacts extending along said tracks, a car adapted to more along said track, a direct current motor on said car, means on the car for successively connecting said motor with said contacts as the car moves along the track, alternating current feed wires extending along said track, and means associated with each ot'said contacts for successively rectifying a portion of said alternating current as the car passes along said contacts so as to provide a direct current for the motor on the car.

5. An electric railway system comprising a track, a series of separated contacts extending along said tracks, a car adapted to move along said track, a direct current motor on said car, means on the car for successively connecting said motor with said contacts as the car moves along the track, alternating current feed wires extending along said track, means associated with each of said contacts for successively rectifying a portion of said alternating current as the on r passes along said contacts so as to provide a direct current "for the motor on the car, and means for automatically disconnecting said contacts from said teed wires when the car leaves the contacts.

(3. An electric railway system comprising a track, feed wires extending along said track and carrying an alternating current, a series of mercury rectifiers at intervals along said track, a car, a motor on said car, initial starting means for starting each rectifier in operation as the car reaches it, and means associated with each rectifier for automatically connecting it in circuit with said motor and said feed wires as soon as the initial starting means is set in operation.

7. An electric railway system comprising a track, feed wires extending along said track and carrying an alternating current, :1 series of mercury rectifiers at intervals along said track, a car, a motor on said car, initial starting means for starting each rectifier in operation as the car reaches it, means associated with each rectifier for automatically connecting it in circuit with said motor and said feed wires as soon as the initial starting means is set in operation, and means for maintaining the elec-.

trical connection through the rectifier while the alternating current wave is passing th rough the zero point. i

An electric railway system cemlnising a track, teed wires extendii' j along said track and carryii an. alter vating current, a, series of mercury rectifiers at intervals along said track a car, a motor on said 4:: r initial starting means for starting each rcetitlcr in operation as the car reaches it, means associated with each rectifier for automatically connecting it in circuit with said motor and said feed wires as soon as the initial starting meansis set in operation, ieans for maintaining the electrical connection through the rectifier while the alternating current wave is passing through the zero point, and means for automatically breaking the circuit through the rectifier after the motor on the car is connected with the adjacent rectifier.

9. An electric railway system comprising a track, a feed wire extending along-said track, a series of exposed contacts located at intervals along the track and normally disconnected from said feed wire, a car adapted'to travel on said track, a motor on said car, a contact device on the car connectedwith said motor and adapted to successively engage said contacts as the car moves along the track, a circuit varying device associated with each contact and electrically connected therewith and with said feed wire, said circuit varying device consisting of fixed parts normally electrically disconnected, and means free from a movable switch contact for electrically con necting them as the car moves along said contacts.

10. An electric railway system comprising a track, a feed wire extending along the track, a series of exposed contacts at intervals along said track, a car adapted to run along said track, a motor on said car, a con tact device on the car connected with said motor and adapted to he successively connected with said contacts as the car moves along the track, a circuit varying device associated with each contact and consisting of fixed parts only, each circuit varying device connected with its associated contact and with said feed wire, so that the circuit is normally open, and means for automatically and successively closing the circuit through said circuit varying devices as the car moves along the contacts.

Ill. An electric railway system comprising a track, a feed wire extending along the track, a series oi exposed contacts located at intervals along the track, means for succcssirely connectin the said contacts with the feed wire, comprising a series of mercury vapor starting means having fixed electrodes connected respectively with the contacts and with the feed wire, said terminals being normally electrically disconnected, a car movable along the track, a motor on the car, a contact device onthe car adapted to Ina-lie engagement with said. surface con.- tacts successively as the car moves along the track, and means under the control of the operator on the car for successively exciting the said mercury vapor starting means to cause mercury vapor to be produccd, thereby electrically connecting the fixed electrodes connected respectively with the .iieed wire and a surface contact. 7

In testimony whereof, I afiix my signature in the presence of two witnesses this 14th day of July, 1915.

JOSEPH B. STRAUSS. Witnesses ELLA THIEME, MINNIE M. LINnnNAU.

tit) 

